Blind Eyes
by Inori1
Summary: Captain Jack Sparrow, newly reunited with the Black Pearl, has encounter with blind girl who sees the future.
1. Prisoner of the Golden Phoenix

"Blind Eyes"  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own "Pirates" or its characters. There are a few original characters in this story. I make no profit off of this story. Disney owns it, those lucky rich bums.  
  
Rating: PG-13 for violence and some language. Although, it may change, you will be notified of the changes.  
  
Summary: Captain Jack Sparrow, newly reunited with the Black Pearl, has encounter with blind girl who sees the future.  
  
Chapter 1 - Prisoner of the Golden Phoenix  
  
Warm Caribbean sun beat down upon the decks of the pirate ship, the Golden Phoenix. Far off in the distance lay the infamous Tortuga, refuge to pirate and prostitute alike. Not so much as a cloud tainted the sky on this particular day. The cool waters glinted blue and green like a precious jewel. This was the majesty of the Caribbean, a sight to behold. And yet, the majesty of the Caribbean was something which Lily could not see.  
  
There were two reasons that Lily couldn't enjoy the picturesque surroundings. The first and most obvious of these reasons was that she was blind. The second reason was that she was currently residing in the hull of the Phoenix, sitting in a jail cell.  
  
As to the first condition, Lily had been blind since the age of 5. Mysteriously one morning she woke up and could no longer see. She made up for her disability with her heightened senses of touch, smell and sound. And, some would consider that she really did have a sense of sight. Lily had the gift of seeing the future. It was hard for her to describe what her visions were like. She just knew when some things were about to happen. Sometimes it was pictures that she saw in her head, sometimes it was thoughts and sometimes it was something altogether otherworldly. But, 19 year old Lily considered this second sight a curse. She would much rather prefer to have her regular vision back. After all, it was her second sight which landed her in this jail cell in the first place.  
  
Lily was residing in the jail as a captive of the Golden Phoenix's Captain Volais. Volais had an extremely unpleasant voice, this being one of the only manners in which she could judge a person. Lily generally got a picture of a person by touching the face and committing the details to memory, allowing her mind to create an image. However, Volais had never allowed Lily to touch him, and she supposed she was better off not touching this particularly disgusting pirate. As the case was, his voice was the only evidence of his character that she had to go on, and his voice was always tinged with violence. It was through his voice that she could tell that the captain was not a young man. His breath always reeked of alcohol. Whenever Volais spoke to her, he made sure to put his face up close to Lily's so that she could feel his rank breath on her face. Perhaps he got some sick pleasure from the fact that Lily couldn't see his movements.  
  
What did Volais want? That was simple. He wanted to abuse her gift and use it to find treasure. Volais had found Lily in Tortuga earlier that year working as fortune teller in the bar that her mother ran. Once he heard of her valuable gift he couldn't resist kidnapping the girl that night. Since then, he had used her to find everything from treasure, to old enemies and even safe ports where the British Navy was sure not to be. She had proved to be a valuable asset, even if it took a little violence to convince her to cooperate.  
  
Lily shuddered as she heard the tell tale plod of boots coming down the ladder. Volais was coming for some more information it seemed. He walked up to her cell and tapped his knife on the bars. She knew from past experience, and the metallic clink that it was his knife. She might as well tell him what wanted to know. If she didn't, he would cut her. Lily had a collection of scars on her arms and chest from previous attempts at avoiding Volais. She had pretty much learned that it was useless to resist. If she couldn't see, then she couldn't defend herself.  
  
"Alright girly, you tell me what I wanna know and this'll be a painless process. If you refuse . . ." Lily heard Captain Volais drag his knife down the bars of the cell. "I want you to tell me where I can find a man named Captain Jack Sparrow."  
  
*** Sashay. Swagger. Call it what you will. Captain Jack Sparrow was making his way down the streets of Tortuga in search of a cheap drink and perhaps a pretty girl to sit on his lap. He sauntered into the Lonely Mermaid; a pub that he knew was not likely to be crowded. Once his eyes adjusted to the soft glow of the table top candles, Jack saw that he had underestimated the drawing power of alcohol on a chilly night. The pub was packed. There was not a seat to be had, save for at the bar itself. He sat himself down on a stool and waved at the barmaid.  
  
"What'll it be sweetheart?" She propped her arm on the counter and rested her chin on it.  
  
"Rum."  
  
"Should 'ave guessed. All your pirate friends in the back corner ordered the same thing." She said as she deftly poured him a shot.  
  
Jack took his shot of rum and tilted his head to the table in the back corner. His men were not in Tortuga tonight, they were all still aboard the Black Pearl. There were three burly, ugly, dirty pirates at the table in question and one girl. The girl didn't look happy, but God was she beautiful! She didn't notice Jack's glance in her direction because she was staring off into space.  
  
She was young, how young he wasn't sure - probably too young for him. Her hair was long and golden blond and it fell past her shoulders. She was wearing a dress of ice blue trimmed with lace that showed off her shapely figure. (The dress no doubt stolen by her companions.) If she hadn't been surrounded by such an unappealing bunch of scalawags, then Jack may have even have made a move on her.  
  
Jack turned back to the bar and took a second shot of rum. His third shot was interrupted by a shout from across the room.  
  
"Jack Sparrow! Run! Run now Jack Sparrow!" Jack turned to see the girl from the corner table standing up and screaming at him. The three other pirates at her table were trying unsuccessfully to subdue her. Jack didn't need to be told twice. He slid off his bar stool and dashed to the door. Half way there he realized that he had been set up. The whole bar was full of pirates and they were all after him. He was surrounded. Jack stood his ground, sword brandished, as the pirates enclosed around him.  
  
"My fellow pirates! You will long remember this as the day that you had Captain Jack Sparrow trapped and yet you let him get away!!" With this announcement, Jack dove under a table and came out the other side. He hit away swords and dodged his attackers as they came at him. Jack took a slash to the right shoulder as he slid out the door. He turned right and ran up an alley, closely followed by his pursuers. Jack wove in and out of the alleys of Tortuga until he thought that he was safe. Jack turned left and walked right into the girl that had warned him at the bar.  
  
*** It had been easy for Lily to get away from the pirates in the confusion. Even though she couldn't see where to run, she knew. She had grown up in that bar with her mother. She knew where the back door was. When Lily had the vision of Jack Sparrow in her mother's old bar, she knew that she would have to use this as a chance to escape.  
  
Lily collided with a hard form in front of her. She screamed at the sudden impact and tried to run away, fearing that it was one of the pirates from the Phoenix. Two firm hands grabbed her arms and pulled her back. The voice was not one she recognized.  
  
"Wait. I'm not gonna hurt you. Who are you and why did you help me?" So then, it was Captain Jack Sparrow. She knew him from her vision. For some reason Lily could not stop herself from shaking uncontrollably. She cast her face down to the ground. Apparently Sparrow had noticed because he said, "Look at me."  
  
"I can't." She whispered. "I'm blind."  
  
Jack tilted the girls face up and looked into her eyes. Her blank gaze confirmed her story.  
  
Lily found a small store of courage and said in a soft voice, "I am a prisoner from the pirate ship the Golden Phoenix. The captain, a man named Volais is after you. I am certain that he intends to kill you, although I do not know why. If he finds me, he will kill me for betraying him. Please help me!" "Alright then love, we can't stay here. Come with me and we can talk more when we get back to my ship, savvy?" Jack grabbed Lily's hand and dragged her through the alleys and toward the area where the Black Pearl was docked.  
  
**** In the next edition of our exciting adventure: Find out why Volais wants Jack Sparrow! Plus: is there romance blooming among our hero and heroine? This and much more when our story continues. Please R&R! 


	2. The Sister Ship

"Blind Eyes"  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own "Pirates" or its characters. There are a few original characters in this story. I make no profit off of this story. Disney owns it, those lucky rich bums.  
  
Thanks to all my reviewers. Some questions answered here for those who asked!  
  
Chapter 2 - The Sister Ship  
  
Revenge, they say, is a dangerous thing. It can consume the whole of one's life. Every thought of every day can be controlled by the desire for revenge. And, once revenge is accomplished, is one ever really satisfied? Ah, but satisfaction was not currently on the mind of Captain Volais. He only wanted the opportunity to commit his act of revenge. To hell with satisfaction! One could do without such niceties as happiness. These were the thoughts of Volais as he stalked up and down his cabin aboard the Golden Phoenix. Soon his men would return with Jack Sparrow. Soon he would have his revenge. He had his blade out of its scabbard and was swinging it recklessly in the air at an imaginary target (you can image who). A knock at his door gave him pause. He placed the blade back in its home on his left hip.  
  
"Enter."  
  
The door creaked open to reveal a rather nervous looking crew member. Volais knew this wasn't going to be good news.  
  
"You let 'im get away, didn't you?"  
  
The crew member shifted nervously at the door. "Well Captain Volais, sir, 'e turned out to be a bit harder ta catch than we thought."  
  
Volais did not answer. He pulled his sword out and walked up to the crew man. He placed the blade under the man's chin and said, "Well you jus better go and git him."  
  
The man gulped and opened his mouth to deliver one more piece of bad news. "Captain, sir, it wasn't my fault. It was the girl. She helped 'im. An we lost 'er too."  
  
Volais' eyes narrowed into slits. She had betrayed him!  
  
"Find um both."  
  
"But sir!"  
  
"FIND THEM NOW!!"  
  
So, Jack Sparrow had gotten away. It wouldn't be for long. Soon he and that mendacious bitch would both be dead. Volais' haggard face meshed itself into a smile (or as close as it could come to one).  
  
**  
  
It is amazing how adapted the other four senses can become when one of the five is lost. With the loss of sight, for example, one discovered a new world of sounds and smells, almost unknown to a person of "normal" vision. There were levels of sound and levels of smell. When you are blind, apple pie smells different than it does if you can see. Not only can you smell the baked crust and the fresh apples, but you can smell beyond the pie, if you will follow for just a moment. If you imagine hard enough, you can smell the golden brown of the crust, or the sweet redness of the apples. You can smell the effort put into the baking of the pie. You can smell the apples on the tree of some orchard in the early fall basking in the rays of the sun. You could smell the soul of the thing.  
  
Lily had made an art of the sense of smell. At the current moment, her other four senses were in overdrive as she observed her new surroundings in Jack Sparrow's cabin aboard the Black Pearl. Jack himself was not yet in the cabin. He had brought her aboard the ship and left her to sit on his bed. He had quickly disappeared in order to steer the ship out of the port of Tortuga. Lily knew this without having to ask. She just knew.  
  
She was still shaking from the events of the previous hour. Had she really managed to escape from the crew of the Phoenix? She had betrayed Volais, that much she did know. She had good enough sense to be very afraid for herself. To distract herself, Lily ran her hands over the coverlet of the bed. It was coarse, but not altogether uncomfortable. It was something that she would expect to find as the cover on the bed of a pirate. It did not scream of luxury, nor did it indicate a life of great hardship. Lily imagined that it was the color of the Caribbean sand she remembered from her childhood.  
  
The smell of the room was a combination of things. First and most predominant was the smell of the burning candle (or was it candles?) somewhere on the other side of the room. The second smell was more like a memory on the air of the room. It was rum, a smell that she recognized from living in the bar. The third smell was that of Jack Sparrow himself. It was a combination of sea air, man and a hint of some exotic spice? She wasn't sure exactly what it was that Jack Sparrow smelled of. Whatever it was, it was good. It was very good.  
  
Lily was daydreaming about her noble savior when he walked into the room and closed the door. His boots tread softly against the floor boards. He stopped somewhere by the candle. Lily heard the clinking of glasses as Jack poured them both drinks of rum. The exotic Jack Sparrow smell had not followed him in the room; rather there was another smell that accompanied him. It was a metallic smell. A smell that usually made Lily's stomach churn.  
  
"You are bleeding Mr. Sparrow." Jack looked over at Lily with surprise on his face. "Your friends took a little nick outta my shoulder. Nothing that a little rum won't cure. And the name is Jack."  
  
He walked over to Lily and placed a cup in her hands. It was cool and ceramic: glazed but not with great care. There was a chip in the side as well. She smiled appreciatively and took a sip of the rum.  
  
"So, you got a name?" Jack asked as he walked back to the table to refill his own cup.  
  
"Yes, it's Lily. Lily Rose." He was staring at her, she could feel his eyes.  
  
"Well Lily Rose, do you mind telling me how you knew?"  
  
"I could smell the blood."  
  
"Not that. How you knew who I was."  
  
Lily didn't answer because she didn't know what to say or where to begin. She took a deep breath and said, "I see things."  
  
"I thought you were blind."  
  
"No, I mean that I can see the future. I have . visions." Lily then launched into her tale, trying to explain to Jack how the visions worked, how she met Volais, how she had been forced to work for him and how Volais had forced her to find Jack Sparrow. ".so when I found out that you would be at my mother's old bar, I knew it was my chance to escape."  
  
Lily finished her story there, leaving Jack's head spinning from the information. Jack had been standing on the other side of the room during the telling of the tale, but he crossed the room and sat on the bed beside Lily.  
  
"Some questions, if you will love. Where was your mother if that was her bar?"  
  
"She is dead. I said it was her old bar, not hers now. She died shortly after I was taken. I saw it."  
  
"I'm sorry." Jack paused, seemly struggling with the wording of his next question. "Uhh, why is it that you warned me when you could 'ave saved yourself?"  
  
This was a question that Lily had been asking herself since she first crashed into Jack Sparrow only an hour ago. She felt her face redden.  
  
"I don't really know why I did it. It just felt like the right thing to do. Now it's my turn to ask a question. Why does Volais want you?"  
  
Jack laughed and took another drink of rum. "Well, that is a short story albeit not very interesting. You are currently aboard my ship the Black Pearl, one of the most feared pirate vessels in the world. What most people don't know is that the Pearl had a sister ship, the White Oyster. Your friend the utterly charming Volais was the captain of that ship. I may have had a hand in the commandeering of that ship and its treasures. The ship is currently in Tortuga. Well, the ship is in the harbor of Tortuga at the bottom of the water to be more accurate. Volais likes to hold his grudges."  
  
Lily felt that there was probably more to the story than what Jack had told her. After all, Volais had a new ship now, one that was probably larger and more opulent than the Oyster. Yes, Jack had definitely lied to her on some of the details. The only problem was that her second sight was not divulging any details either. She would just have to rely on Jack's version for now.  
  
"Yes, Volais likes to hold his grudges." Lily shuddered at the thought of what would happen to her if Volais ever caught up with her again. She would not make it out of that encounter alive, she was sure. She started shaking again and the events of the night had finally caught up to her. Lily started to cry silently. Jack took the cup of rum out of her hands and drew Lily into his arms.  
  
"Hush now, love. Don't you worry about Volais. You'll be safe with me on the Black Pearl. I won't let anything happen to you, savvy?" Jack ran his hands in soothing circles on Lily's back until she stopped crying.  
  
"All better now?" Jack asked as he brushed a stray lock of hair away from Lily's face. Lily nodded and sniffed.  
  
"I . . ."  
  
"What is it, love?"  
  
"I was just wondering what you look like. That was all."  
  
Jack took Lily's hands and placed them on his face. Her touch was tentative at first, as if she were afraid of what she might discover. She started at the top of Jack's face, where his bandana covered his hair. She worked her way over his forehead and eyes. His face was strong and sun tanned, of that she was sure. The skin felt as if it had been bronzed in the sun, but not leathered. His cheeks were sharp and defined, unlike any man she had ever touched. He had a moustache and a beard which outlined his jaw and chin. She felt a scar on the right side of his beard. She imagined that he had gotten it in some daring adventure. Her mind buzzed with the possibilities. Her fingers rested on his soft lips and lingered there for perhaps a second longer than they should have.  
  
Jack noticed. Lily dropped her hands and scooted away from Jack. The silence was getting to be unbearable for both of them. Finally Jack stood up and said, "I think it's time for you to get some sleep. My bed may not be much, but I suspect that it's better than a cell in the brig."  
  
"Thank you." Lily murmured as Jack walked toward the door.  
  
"No problem, love."  
  
***  
  
In the next edition of our exciting adventure: Lily has a frightening vision! Plus: is Volais hot on the trail of the Pearl? This and much more when our story continues. Please R&R! 


	3. I can see!

"Blind Eyes"  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own "Pirates" and I make no money off this story. Don't sue me. I'm poor. Trust me.  
  
Thanks very much to all my reviewers! You guys rock!!  
  
Chapter 3 - I can see!  
  
It is well known in the world of psychology that if children are separated from their mothers very early in infancy, they have a tendency to rock back and forth as a means of comforting themselves. This trend continues throughout the individual's lifetime whenever stress or distress is present. A gentle rocking motion can combat even the slightest of mental anxieties. Perhaps this is why the sea served as the surrogate mother to many, including our hero Captain Jack Sparrow. As our story continues, the sea was gently caressing the Black Pearl as the sun rose in the Caribbean. A new day. The rocking motion was very calming to Lily as she slowly opened her eyes after a night of peaceful sleep in Jack Sparrow's cabin.  
  
The cabin slowly came into focus as Lily sat up. WAIT! The cabin CAME INTO FOCUS!  
  
"Oh my God! I can see! Jaaaaaaaaaaack! I can see!!!" Realizing that Jack had not spent the night in his room, Lily bolted out of the cabin and onto the deck. She looked at the crew and they stared back at her in confusion. Jack was standing at the helm of the ship, turning the wheel left or right occasionally.  
  
"Jack! I can see!"  
  
Jack turned to look at Lily and their eyes met. Lily was extremely excited and she was breathing hard. Jack knew that there was no way she could be lying. This was real. Her eyes met his and her gaze was clear, not at all like last night.  
  
"Now this is interesting." Jack said to himself.  
  
**  
  
It was a celebration. There was dancing and drinking and general merrymaking on the decks of the Black Pearl that night. There was not a sober or starving soul to be found aboard the ship. Even Lily herself was quite intoxicated. Lily figured that she owed it to herself to celebrate her freedom from the captivity of blindness.  
  
"Well, love, what is it like to finally see?" Jack asked as he forced another bottle of rum into Lily's hands.  
  
"It's fabulous!" Lily cried as she spread her arms out and spun around on the deck. (She had dropped the bottle of rum onto the deck, but the reader can be assured that it was quite undamaged. Someone would find it and drink it later.) Oh yes, the rum was definitely going to her head. "Mr. Sparrow, would you like to dance?"  
  
"Now who could refuse an offer like that?" Jack said as he swept Lily up into his arms. They circled the decks of the Pearl, weaving in and out of drunken crew members. Lily and Jack had lost track of time. In fact, no one was really paying any attention to their posts. It was the stars and the sea (and the rum, one can suppose) that made Lily press up against Jack with a sort of desperate longing. And perhaps it was the stars and the sea (and the rum) that made Jack lean down and gently kiss Lily. This action did not go unnoticed by the crew, who whistled and made some catcalls. Must it be emphasized that absolutely no one was paying attention to the distant ship on the horizon, which actually was not so distant anymore?  
  
History has taught us that the enemy is weakest when he is distracted. A pure case example of this is the ill-fated city of Troy. It was when the Trojans were drunk and carousing, and needless to say distracted, that the Greeks sprang their trap. Does the reader really need a reminder that the Trojans were completely slaughtered? Yes, distraction was the key to a sure victory. And, dear reader, this is how Captain Volais knew that it was time to strike. He had been watching the festivities aboard the Black Pearl through his scope. He had watched his two most hated enemies dancing arm in arm. Yes, the time to strike was now. The Golden Phoenix had drifted almost on top of the Black Pearl before anyone even realized that they were so close.  
  
One of the Pearl's crew members spied a bottle of rum laying on the deck as yet unopened. He was crawling across the deck to get to it (he being too intoxicated for walking at the moment). It was when he reached the bottle and looked up, that he saw the pirate ship, not twenty feet away and closing in. He fell back on the deck, pointed and screamed. His voice cut instantly through the music and merriment, killing it.  
  
"Piraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaates!"  
  
The warning was too late. By the time the Pearl's crew stood up to defend themselves, the crew of the Phoenix had boarded the ship in a wave of destruction. The Pearl's crew was being wiped out before Lily's eyes and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She reached out for Jack who had been beside her just a moment before, but he was gone. Lily overtly scanned the fight in progress. It was a massacre. Soon she too would be dead if she didn't do something.  
  
Lily's eyes then caught sight of Jack engaged in a sword fight with Captain Volais. Jack looked as if he was holding his own, despite his rigorous consumption of alcohol just a short time before. But wait, was Jack moving in slow motion? Why wasn't he trying harder to defend himself? Lily ran toward Jack but stopped dead when she saw Volais' sword pierce Jacks stomach and emerge at his back. A horrible red stain appeared on the deck of the Pearl under Jack. His face had a look of astonishment on it and when Volais removed his sword Jack suddenly slumped forward and landed on the deck, not moving.  
  
Lily screamed at the top of her lungs at the sight of Jack's dead body falling onto the deck of the Black Pearl. Volais wiped his blade off onto his coat and stalked toward Lily. He raised his sword and plunged it deep into her abdomen. Time had stopped.  
  
"No!!!!!!"  
  
Lily felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders and shake her.  
  
"Wake up, love!"  
  
Lily bolted up, instinctively clawing at whoever was holding her down. She couldn't see. Her world had returned to darkness.  
  
"It was just a dream, love, nothing more." Jack said as he tried to clam Lily. "It wasn't real, savvy?"  
  
"No Jack, it was real. It was so real. Volais was there and I could see again and you were hurt and he tried to kill me! Oh God, I'm never going to escape him! I'm going to die! I thought it was real and I could see again." Lily sobbed into Jack's shoulder.  
  
For the second time that night, Jack held Lily until she was calm enough to drift back to sleep. Her features settled back into a serene restfulness. Jack, however, was tormented. He knew that Lily had visions. Was this one of those? Was Volais really that close behind them? And what had Lily said that really plagued him, "I could see again." What a cruel dream to have.  
  
**  
  
AN: In this chapter, I was going for that dreamlike quality, where things are both vague and specific at the same time (if such a thing is even possible!) That is why some things are in detail and others are not. And, this chapter is intentionally jumpy. Dreams are more emotional than visual. Hence, the lack of descriptions and specifics here. How did I do? A longer chapter next time I promise, my computer got a Trojan virus on it the other day, which accounts for the delay. All is well again, thanks to my dad's handy computer skills. (  
  
More to come in the next edition of our exciting adventure!! Please R&R!! 


	4. Here be treasure

"Blind Eyes"  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own it, prolly never will. In any case, I'm not holding my breath. (  
  
Chapter 4 - Here be treasure  
  
If you are blind, how can you tell the difference between being asleep and being awake? For one, there is no light to ensure you that you are no longer dreaming. Dreams can often seem so real that they are almost indistinguishable from reality. Do you hear in your dreams? Do you feel in your dreams? Do you smell and taste in your dreams? Ah, dear reader, now you can see how truly desperate the life of the blind can be! For someone like our Lily Rose, reality occasionally became quite intangible. What were visions, what was reality, what was just a dream? Could her senses be trusted? And worst of all, what was she to do when her own senses decided to betray her?  
  
She was awake. She had cleared her mind enough to make that decision. The boat was rocking (but it had rocked in her dream the night before), the blankets that enveloped her were coarse and scratchy against her face. Pain and discomfort were a general indication of a true waking reality. Now that she thought back to the previous night, Volais' sword to her stomach hadn't hurt. Another indicator that Lily was awake was the weight on the bed that she felt (obviously aside from her own weight). Someone was sitting on the bed. Sitting, not lying down, she could tell this by the weight distribution and the fact that nobody was touching her. She figured that it was Jack, this being his room. She heard his gentle breathing and knew that he was not awake. He had probably propped himself up against the wall.  
  
Lily felt instantly safe again. What was it about the indomitable Captain Sparrow that made her feel this way? It was a combination of things really. Maybe it was the fact that she found him to be incredibly noble, despite his ties to the unscrupulous business of buccaneering. He had humanity and strength of character. And he had saved her and comforted her when she was afraid and irrational.  
  
Lily pushed away the covers and tried to sit up without disturbing Jack. She could feel where he was on the end of the bed because of his body heat. Intuition was a useful skill to the blind. There it was again, that whiff of exotic spice that was Jack Sparrow. She couldn't place it, even now. Lily casually leaned into Jack and inhaled.  
  
"Can I help you with something, love?" Jack's sudden query had startled Lily so badly that she pitched backwards and would have fallen off the bed if Jack had not grabbed her arms firmly.  
  
"I'm sorry. I, uhh. . ."  
  
"No explanations necessary. I know my charms must be irresistible." Jack laughed.  
  
He was still holding her arms firmly. Why in God's name was he still holding her arms? Shouldn't he have let go by now? Please God make him stop touching me!!  
  
"Mr. Sparrow--"  
  
"Jack." He corrected.  
  
"Jack, I think we need to talk about last night." He let go of her arms when he heard that.  
  
"Isn't it a bit early for morning after talk, love?" Lily imagined that if she could see Jack's face, he probably would have winked at her.  
  
"Please Jack."  
  
"Look, there ain't much to discuss. You had a bad dream, that's it."  
  
"Jack I don't want you to pity me. I just couldn't stand it if you did." Lily said. She suddenly felt like a child.  
  
"I don't pity you. Hell, if I had escaped from Volais, I would have nightmares too." Jack gave Lily a friendly pat on the back and stood up.  
  
"Thank you, Jack." But Lily still felt inadequate and foolish. Jack had escaped from the clutches of Volais too, and he was not suffering any ill- effects. She silently vowed herself to be stronger.  
  
**  
  
Lily spent the rest of the afternoon orienting herself in the ship. From Jack's bed to his door was seven steps. From the door to the table was five steps. From the table to the bed was also five steps. Once Lily had oriented herself completely with the positioning of objects on Jack's tables and dressers, she decided to venture outside. From the door of Jack's room to the stairs at the end of the hall, nine steps. Twelve steps up to the main deck. Here she ran into some of the crew members. They were very helpful as she oriented herself. They would call out if she were about to crash into something.  
  
She had made her way from bow to stern and felt confident that she could remember the orientation of it all. As she made her way to the wheel, Jack called out to her.  
  
"Wanna go at the wheel, love?" Jack called down to her.  
  
"I would love to, but I'm blind." Lily emphasized the word.  
  
Jack walked up to Lily and grabbed her by the hand. He dragged her to the wheel and placed both her hands gently on it.  
  
"Jack this isn't going to work."  
  
"Trust me, love. Half of steering a ship is intuition. And you happen to have that in spades." He helped her turn the wheel as needed. Eventually Lily began to relax and trust herself. She heard the little voice inside her tell her which way to turn the wheel. It was while she stood there that a vision came to her.  
  
An island. A cave. Treasure. It was not far from here. The island pretty much consisted of a chain of caves on the ocean. Lily could see Jack steering the Black Pearl into one of these caves. She could also see herself wearing strings of pearls and gold bangles.  
  
"Jack!" Lily cried and she accidentally spun to wheel a bit too vigorously. The ship lurched in the water and made a few horrible sounds. Lily almost fell over.  
  
Jack cried out and tried to steady the wheel of his precious ship.  
  
"Lesson number one: Never do that again!" Jack cried as he patted the wheel of his ship lovingly.  
  
"Sorry Jack! I need a piece of paper!" Lily grabbed hold of Jack and shook him. "This is important Jack; I just saw a cave full of treasure."  
  
Jack bounded off and returned with a small leather bound book and a charcoal pencil. Some members of the crew had gathered around. Word of treasure is lifeblood to pirates, after all.  
  
"I didn't know Jack could read." One of the crew commented.  
  
Jack shot a haughty look in the crew's direction. "O'course I can read. I keep a record of everything we do on this ship."  
  
"OOOh. He keeps a diary!" Some of the crew sniggered at this suggestion. Jack ignored them. He opened the book and put the pencil into Lily's hand. She immediately sketched a map of a small island chain. She put two small marks on the map as well.  
  
"This is the current position of the ship." She said as she put a dot on the map, "And here be treasure." Lily smiled as she put an X mark on one of the islands. "I think in all it's a two day journey. Volais doesn't know about it either. I think."  
  
Jack picked up the map and studied it with a smile. Yes, it was defiantly worth the hassle of not having a bed to sleep in if he had a clairvoyant treasure hunter with him.  
  
** AN: Computer worm fears have kept me offline in the past few days. I plan on going to see "Pirates" for the third time during the weekend as a means of inspiration. I have a doozy of a plot twist coming soon, I just have to figure out how to work it all in.  
  
More to come in the next edition of our exciting adventure!! Please R&R!! 


	5. Suddenly Strangers

"Blind Eyes"  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own it.  
  
AN: You asked for a long chapter and I promise you are going to like it. Buckle up and enjoy the ride, my dear readers! Longer chapters take more time to write, but I promise that I work on it a little every day.  
  
Rating: I think the rating of this chapter goes up to maybe R; I am a bad judge of ratings. There is a sexual encounter. I like to think it's tastefully done. Oh yeah baby. Oh yeah.  
  
Chapter 5: Suddenly Strangers  
  
Lily was standing on the deck of the Black Pearl on the third morning after her escape from Volais. If she had sight, she would have been able to see a small chain of cave-like islands on the horizon. She knew they were there. It was her inner eyes which showed her the truth of all things. She knew how blue the sea was. She could feel the wind gently lift and caress the strands of her hair. She could smell the salt. Since meeting Jack Sparrow, Lily had deeply regretted the loss of her sight for the first time in her life. How she wanted to see his face with her own eyes, as he was able to view her!  
  
The past two nights had been incredible for Lily. She had stayed up for hours talking to Jack, learning about his childhood and telling him about hers. She knew his likes and dislikes and he knew all of hers. They shared many commonalities. Above all of their desires, the most important was freedom. For Jack, it was the Black Pearl. For Lily it was regaining her sight. It was as if they were long lost friends catching up. And dear reader, there were newly kindled feelings inside of Lily, ones that she did not understand. Ones that she truly wanted to understand. Ones she wished that Jack could explain to her. Dear reader, you cannot imagine the agony! (Or, perhaps you can.) Lily's fists tightened on the rail of the Black Pearl making her knuckles white.  
  
"You're not tryin' to snap my rail in half, are you?" Jack asked as he walked up to Lily. She instantly released her grip. "Got something on your mind, love?"  
  
Lily shook her head, no.  
  
"Well, in about two hours time, your going to have gold, gold and more gold on your mind. We're almost there." Jack turned and walked back in the direction of the helm.  
  
Lily returned to her reverie of self pity. Please God, give me sight! Perhaps this was the wrong choice of words. Instead of what she wanted, Lily had another vision. This one was more intimate than any she had ever seen. It was a man and a woman on a bed. Legs entwined. Sheets disarray. Passion, Lord there was PASSION. The smell of sweat. A man and a woman making love. Jack Sparrow. It was Jack making love to . . . who? The vision ended there. Lily's heart rate was accelerated. Surely it wasn't her? But, there were no other women aboard this ship. Lily forced her mind to safer ground: treasure. Try as she might, Lily could not erase the image of the entangled bodies.  
  
The next two hours were a blur. Lily certainly had enough on her mind to occupy her for that short time. Before she knew it, Jack was steering the boat into the cave that Lily had marked on the map. The cave, as Jack saw it, had an orange glow to it that meant only one thing: gold. The cave, as Lily saw it, smelled of moss growing on rock. There was something else too, the faint scent of sulfur indicating oysters or was it clams? It felt . . . ancient, like something that had stood out of the water since the dawn of time. A beacon for pirates who had long since found watery graves on the sea's floor. She could hear the sea water slapping against the sides of the cave. High tide.  
  
All the crew men were on deck, practically salivating at the thought of the gold that they would be acquiring. Lily could feel the anticipation rising from the crew in waves of gold-lust. They had just drifted into the mouth of the cave, when Jack called for silence aboard the Black Pearl.  
  
Lily, who had moved to the wheel to stand with Jack, whispered, "What is it Jack?"  
  
"There is another ship in the cave up ahead. I can see movement." There was a short pause as Jack peered through his scope. "It's pirates." More silence. "Well, I say we move in and clean 'um out boys!" There was a flurry of activity at that order. Lily felt it best if she stayed put. The canons were loaded and the Pearl increased speed as it reeled toward the rival pirate ship. Just as Jack was about to order the attack, he stopped himself. A second quick glance through the scope confirmed his suspicions. It was a pirate ship full of women.  
  
Jack slowly steered the Pearl up to the ship and called over to its crew. "Ahoy there beautiful ladies, where's your captain?" There was a flurry of movement aboard the female pirate ship as the captain made her way to the deck. Physically, she was everything that Lily was not, dark hair, dark eyes, muscular, tanned skin, and curvy beyond all comprehension. She was clad almost identically to Jack, long dark coat, pants, white shirt, nifty hat, sword at the side. But, she carried herself in a way that was distinctly feminine. In a way that gave Jack an eerie sense of déjà vu. Jack's heart stopped in his chest as he recognized the captain. Margola. His former lover.  
  
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Captain Jack Sparrow. Couldn't live without me, could you?" Margola hollered over to Jack.  
  
"Kitten, I've died a little every day since you left me." Jack said in a mocking tone. Both captains laughed heartily at this.  
  
"What the hell are you doing in my cave, Sparrow?" Margola demanded, getting down to business.  
  
"I was led here by a little bird." Jack said, not wishing to reveal the identity of his psychic treasure hunter.  
  
"Sure." Margola said, clearly not believing Jack. "Why don't you come over here for a chat and some rum? Bring your little friend." Margola indicated Lily, who was trying to remain anonymous on the deck.  
  
A plank was thrown between the two ships and Jack safely guided Lily over to Margola.  
  
Margola extended her hands and pulled Lily aboard her ship. "Welcome to the Winsome Widow."  
  
Margola then turned and embraced Jack in a hug that lasted entirely too long in Lily's opinion. She couldn't see them, but Lily could imagine the looks that they were giving each other. From the emotions she was getting off of the pair, she could tell that they definitely had a history. Quite a hot and heavy history at that. When they separated, Jack made introductions.  
  
"Margola Antonia, meet Lily Rose." The two women managed to shake hands, after Margola discovered that Lily was blind and therefore could not see the hand that Margola had extended to her. Margola gave Lily a long measuring glance.  
  
"She's a bit young for you, isn't she Sparrow?" Margola jibed at Jack.  
  
Jack did not answer. Instead he turned to the crews of both the Pearl and the Widow. "My fellow pirates, eat, drink and be merry this night!" Neither crew needed further provocation. Men and women crossed over the planks and intermingled. Some spilled down to dance on the piles and piles of gold and treasure. Jack wondered how long it would take to develop into a veritable orgy of wine, gold and sin. Knowing his crew, not long. . . not long at all.  
  
Margola laced her arm through Lily's and led the pair back into her private quarters.  
  
**  
  
Lily had been steered into a seat in Margola's room. It smelled like expensive perfume and rum. The three had spent an hour making small talk. Mostly it was Jack and Margola catching up, throwing around names of old "associates." Lily felt herself getting bored. Jack noticed.  
  
"Why don't you go outside and have some fun at the party, love?" Jack said. He helped Lily out of her chair and sent her out the door. She mingled at the party, met some interesting lady pirates. She discovered that the Winsome Widow consisted mostly of widows, young and old alike, who had no money or nowhere else to go. The crew was tight knit. It felt like a homey place. Lily felt jealous of Margola for the billionth time that night.  
  
While mingling, Lily hadn't strayed far from Margola's room. Jack was still inside. He hadn't come out. Lily was not naïve. They had been in there alone for the better part of an hour. She didn't have to be a psychic to know what was going on. Feelings of jealousy bubbled under Lily's cool exterior.  
  
Suddenly the door opened and Lily heard Jack walk out. Lily had every intention of addressing this issue with Jack immediately.  
  
"Jack." Lily said it in the tone that all males recognize and fear.  
  
"Yes, love?" Jack wondered what he had done.  
  
"What went on in there?" Lily's tone had not changed.  
  
"Margola told me an interesting piece of news about your friend Volais." Jack watched as Lily stiffened her shoulders.  
  
"What sort of news?" Lily was almost afraid to ask.  
  
"Volais had a brother. His name was Barbosa." Lily's breath stopped in her throat. She knew who Barbosa was. Jack had told her the whole story. Barbosa was dead. Volais would be coming after Jack for revenge on his brother's life. The White Oyster had nothing to do with it.  
  
"Oh. Is that all that you talked about? I mean did you two . . ." Lily didn't know how to finish that sentence. How does one inquire about these sorts of things anyway?  
  
"Did we make love?" Jack asked with a tone of surprise in his voice.  
  
"Uh yeah." Lily said.  
  
"Well I don't see how that is relevant, love." Jack was starting to catch on to Lily's feelings of jealousy.  
  
"I thought we . if you can't . never mind, Jack! I don't want to know what your problem is." Lily stammered.  
  
Jack was blown away by Lily's sudden outburst. "Right love, I'm the one with the problem? Maybe you should ask yourself why you care so much who I do or do not sleep with. Hmm?" Jack wheeled around and crossed back over to the Pearl.  
  
Lily felt her face turn a wicked shade of scarlet. Why was she behaving in such a foolish manner? She was not a child, and neither was she Jack Sparrow's woman. His comings and goings should not be of her concern. If he should choose to dally with one of his former lovers, then it should not weigh so heavily upon her heart. But God, it did! She felt certain that the vision was correct. Jack and Margola had made love, and were most probably in love. Passion like the kind of her vision could not be faked. Lily felt like she and Jack had become suddenly . . . strangers.  
  
Margola had witnessed the scene from the doorway to her room. It seemed some things needed to be cleared up.  
  
"You're in love with him." Margola said it plainly. A statement and not a question.  
  
Lily's response was a whisper, "That would be foolish of me."  
  
"Eh. Le Coeur a c'est raisons, n'est-ce pas?" Margola turned into her room and called to Lily, "Come in for a minute."  
  
The heart has its reasons. How true. Lily reluctantly went into Margola's room.  
  
"Listen, I know that you think something went on here between me and Jack. I can't say that I didn't try, but he wasn't interested. What we had was a long time ago. He's moved on." Margola stopped and sized up Lily. "That dress. You've probably been wearing it for a few days. I have some old things that you can have. I never wear dresses anymore."  
  
Margola turned to her closet and grabbed a random dress from within. It was red and the bodice was threaded with gold. Margola took off Lily's blue dress and corset. She found a new corset and started lacing Lily up in it.  
  
"Why are you doing this for me?" Lily asked.  
  
"I like Jack. I want him to be happy. You make him happy, so I want to help you." Margola laughed. She finished pulling the corset tight and slipped the dress over Lily's head. She straightened the red velvet skirts around Lily.  
  
"Now for the hair." Margola ran a shell comb through Lily's strands and cleared it of knots.  
  
"OK, now a little bit of my secret weapon. No man can resist." Margola sprayed a small amount of expensive French perfume on Lily's breasts and neck.  
  
"Go get him. And don't take no for an answer." Margola started to shove Lily out the door.  
  
"Wait. I have a question. I've never . . . um . . ." Lily once again found herself in the awkward position of having to inquire about delicate subject matter.  
  
"You've never made love to a man." Margola smiled. "Well don't worry sweetheart. Jack Sparrow excels at two things: one of them is being a pirate, the other is making love. He'll treat you like a goddess. Look, it's going to hurt. But you'll forget about the pain. Trust me." Without further ado, Margola sent Lily off to the Black Pearl.  
  
**  
  
Lily's courage had abounded. She needed this chance to make things right with Jack. She had misjudged him and behaved wrongly. Smoothing her hands along her newly borrowed velvet dress, Lily felt stronger somehow. Soon all would be forgiven. Soon she would be making . . . well, best not to think of that yet. She carefully counted the steps to Jack's room aboard the Black Pearl. She knocked softly on the door.  
  
"Jack? Jack, it's me, Lily." Five seconds passed, ten, twenty.  
  
There was no answer. Lily's heart sank. Jack was probably dead drunk by now, or ignoring her, or both. She turned very slowly and started to walk away. Tears had gathered in her eyes and threatened to fall at any given second. She would not cry! She would not cry over someone like Jack Sparrow! Ah but dear reader, she did. The not-so-silent tears prevented Lily from hearing Jack open the door to his room.  
  
Jack was instantly moved by the sight of Lily's breakdown outside his door. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and protect her forever. Such a vulnerable and innocent creature should not be left to fend for herself in the world.  
  
Jack stepped outside his door and did just what he intended. He encircled Lily in his arms and planted a kiss on her lips.  
  
She had not been expecting it, and that made it all the sweeter. It was unlike anything she had ever imagined. He was not drunk, he was not angry with her. He wanted her. This knowledge made her weak in the knees.  
  
"Come inside. Stay the night with me." Jack's offer was given in a husky voice, overflowing with desire.  
  
Lily's answer was to push Jack through his door and follow him in. Jack shut and locked the door while Lily stood patiently in the room. He stepped over to her and they stood, bodies pressed up against one another for a few minutes. Both of them were breathing hard. Finally Lily spoke.  
  
"Close your eyes Jack. I want us to have the same experiences." Lily took her hands and ran them over Jack's eyes. They were closed. "See me with your hands." Lily took Jack's hands and placed them on her face.  
  
His hands caressed the skin on her face and lingered on her lips, as she had once done to him. Lily found the experience to be intoxicating. When she felt that she couldn't stand it anymore, she took Jack's hands away from her face and kissed him again. His hands traveled over her body, front and back.  
  
Jack guided Lily to his bed and set her down on it. He studied Lily's dress. "Nice dress. It'll have to go now." Jack pulled the dress up over Lily's head. He slowly began untying the laces at the back of her corset. That too was soon removed. Once Lily's final undergarments were removed, Jack pushed her down onto the bed. He stood up only to remove his own garments.  
  
Jack lay down on top of Lily. He ran his hands over the landscape of her body. Lily was shaking gently. Jack's hands kneaded Lily's breasts gently. This was the first time a man had ever touched her like this. It scared Lily. She whimpered out loud before she could stop herself.  
  
"Shhhhh. It's alright love. I won't hurt you." Jack proceeded in his examination of Lily's body. Lily soon found herself reacting favorably to the attention that Jack was paying to her. Her hands wandered over his back, tracing his muscles. Suddenly she knew that her vision had been real. As their legs entwined on the sheets Lily smiled.  
  
The sounds that Lily was making now were sounds of pleasure. Lily did not really know what she was doing. She had never had anyone to discuss these things with. Her mother had never told her about the mysteries of womanhood. She didn't really know what was going to come next, but she had an idea. Margola had told her that it was going to hurt.  
  
Jack gently inserted a finger into Lily and she gasped from the feeling. The motion of his finger going in and out was enough to drive Lily to the brink of insanity. She found herself wanting more. She cried out Jack's name. He removed his fingers and straddled Lily.  
  
Jack hovered above Lily, preparing to enter her for the first time. Lily was shaking from fear and anticipation. Her mind was reeling, unable to grasp hold of one thought. Jack asked her a question that she had just asked herself.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this, love?"  
  
***  
  
AN: I know I am EVIL for stopping here, right? I'm not sure yet if they should continue or if I should have her say no and have it happen later. What do y'all think? I feel kind of out of my arena when describing sex. I dunno if I did a good job or not. 


End file.
